Welcome to The Frederick Law Olmsted Society

In 1868, landscape architect Frederick Law Olmsted and his partner, Calvert Vaux, were commissioned to plan a unique community just west of Chicago, Illinois. The result was Riverside, a beautiful community along the Des Plaines River, complete with curving lanes, abundant greenery, and gas street lights. One hundred years later, the Frederick Law Olmsted Society of Riverside was formed.

In 1970, Riverside was named a National Historic Landscape District.

Latest News

On December 4th at 7pm John J. Binder, author The Chicago Outfit and Al Capone’s Beer Wars: A Complete History of Organized Crime in Chicago during Prohibition, will discuss the history of organized crime in Riverside and surrounding suburbs.

Our volunteers gathered and spread seeds at our workday on Saturday, October 12. We partnered with the Village and Possibility Place to raise community awareness of Oak trees. Possibility Place donated three shingle oak trees that were planted along the restored riverbank to beautify that area.

In this talk, Elsa Anderson, a Stewardship Program Aide with the Cook County Forest Preserves, took us through the history of the Forest Preserves and some of the natural treasures found in the preserves today. Video link provided by Riverside TV is now available.

Get the latest scoop on our neighbor, the Brookfield Zoo. Jennifer Baader, the zoo’s Vice President of Government Affairs, will acquaint us with the history of the zoo, animal conservation efforts, and what’s been happening lately with the mammals, reptiles, and other species that live there.

April 28th was RB Day of Service and 24 hearty High School students joined 15 volunteers and Michael Collins, Riverside Forester, and Village staff who planted 25 trees and shrubs in the public lands around the Scout Cabin on Bloomingbank Road.

This year, 2018, marks the Frederick Law Olmsted Society’s 50th Anniversary. The Kickoff to their Golden Jubilee began at the Annual Meeting held on January 19, in the historic Riverside Train Depot, attended by a standing-room only crowd.

Steve Pescitelli, Illinois Department of Natural Resources Stream Specialist,shared the latest river monitoring results in order to show the contrast between the “before” and “after” of dam removal. If you missed the lecture, a copy of the presentation is available for review.

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Our Mission

The Frederick Law Olmsted Society is dedicated to sustaining Olmsted's vision for Riverside for generations to come. Its members are guided by his concern for humanity, nature, sense of community and the innovative and thoughtful essence of his work. The Olmsted Society invites residents and visitors to join us in learning, protecting the environment, and preserving our cultural and physical heritage.